Annie passionately educates and advocates for change all across Canada to expand the continuum of care to include essential recovery support systems.

General Topics

Recovery

Advocacy

Videos

Biography

Advocate and speaker, Annie McCullough is a cultural leader whose energy and enthusiasm helped spark the recovery advocacy movement in Canada. Drawing on her previous roles at Dell, Orchard Recovery Centre and Edgewood Health Network, Annie combines her background in project and event management with her passion for recovery.

As co-founder of Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR) Canada- the first federally incorporated non profit dedicated to advocacy in Canada, Annie works tirelessly to empower the recovery community at a grassroots level. She travels the country from coast to coast taking the stage, delivering workshops and helping educate local, provincial and federal government on addiction and recovery.

Annie’s advocacy efforts earned her recognition by SAMHSA for her work leading and supporting Recovery Day-a national celebration of recovery which she was instrumental in developing across the country, growing from 2 cities in 2012 to over 30 cities over the month of September 2017. She serves on the National Recovery Advisory Committee (NRAC), promoting awareness of recovery from addiction, based on evidence from research and experience in the recovery movement. Through the NRAC and the CCSA, the results of the first ever “Life in Recovery” survey were presented across Canada in 2017.

She speaks on many different topics but most efficiently addresses the need for education to eradicate stigma. She shares successful strategies at national conferences, and is considered by Canadian media to be a subject matter expert on addiction and recovery.

Annie often delivers, Recovery Messaging Training –a workshop designed to teach others how to use and embrace the language of recovery- to thousands of people. She also believes that increasing access to education supports community and makes it easier for those who need recovery to find and maintain it.

As a person in long-term recovery, Annie has a strong desire to change the conversation around addiction and in turn - change the world we live in today. Her energy and enthusiasm inspire others and she embodies hope for those who struggle with addiction. Annie aims to create community where people struggling with addiction or living in long term recovery are heard, loved, and provided the necessary resources to become the best version of themselves.

When she’s not wearing her advocate’s hat, Annie can be found hiking with her dog Frankie or teaching yoga - this past year, she completed her second 200 hour yoga teacher training and was certified as a facilitator of Y12SR (Yoga of 12 step recovery).